Former Alabama football coach Gene Stallings' presence now in College Football Hall of Fame (Hicks)

Coach Gene Stallings, Texas A&M 1965-71 and Alabama 1990-96, salutes the crowd prior to receiving his blazer during the College Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival in South Bend, Ind., on Saturday, July 16, 2011. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond)

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The voice of former college football TV play-by-play announcer Keith Jackson was heard once again Saturday night as he provided the voiceover for a video at the College Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival banquet.

There was another unmistakable voice heard Saturday night, one smothered in Texas twang and a measure of Alabama drawl. And yet it isn't Gene Stallings' voice that carries as much weight as his presence.

It is a presence that is felt not only when he is in the room but in his philosophy, a feeling handed down from those with whom he has coached, those he has coached and those with whom he has simply shared a few minutes of conversation.

It is that presence -- one wrapped in a basic ethic of hard work and common

sense -- that led Stallings to become part of the hall's Class of 2011 which was enshrined here Saturday night.

Stallings had interesting stories to tell while on stage, but the best reason for his place in the game and his selection was provided by another coach.

"There's no one in Texas A&M lore who is more respected or more revered than Gene Stallings," said another former Aggies coach, R.C. Slocum.

That is saying a mouthful considering that Paul Bryant also coached at A&M. At Alabama, there's no question Bryant is king, but Stallings ranks near the top of the list, too. Which brings us back to the strength of his presence.

Many of the 2011 inductees are associated with one school or perhaps two. Stallings' influence covers the states of Texas and Alabama like a huge blanket, and he has become an icon at two schools.

As such, a contingent of Alabama officials, led by athletic director Mal Moore, and another group from Texas A&M, led by Slocum, made their way to South Bend to represent fan bases that still hold Stallings in high regard.

Stallings isn't just a former coach, he's a beloved coach and person who represents times and eras that hold great importance.

"What I've said so many times is if you go into the hall of fame as a player, you can go in as a good player on a bad team," Stallings said. "If you go into the hall of fame as a coach, it means you've had good players and good coaches. ... And I realize that and I'm most appreciative of that. But I want those people who played for me and coached with me to feel like they are a part of my being here."

Those players and coaches also had the good fortune of coaching alongside or playing for Gene Stallings.